September 1, 1993, Hogwarts Express
At first, the trip to Hogwarts went as usual. Everyone was sharing their impressions of the holidays, telling who was doing what, and much of the attention was paid to Ron, who boasted about his photographs and exploits in Egypt. His stomach, which was prevented from catching the weary and tired Korosta, was lying on Hermione's lap and squinting as if to say, "Think about it! I didn't want to!
The Tummy Throat was the first to feel the problem.
He hissed, sizzled and pulled the cold on the coupe. Then the train stopped, with climbing and cracking, before reaching Hogsmead, where Harry and the others had to visit this year. Anyway, the permission to visit Hogsmead, signed by Uncle Vernon, was in his pocket, but now it seemed unimportant. Harry was saddened, dark in his eyes, and in the compartment quickly cooled down.
"Fight, Harry, fight!" Gaius' muffled exclamation was heard.
The door in the compartment drove aside, and in the opening appeared a sinister dark figure in a dressing gown. She was hit by four spells, but in vain, they flew through the figure, as if it wasn't there. Harry wanted to help his friends, he knew he had to fight, but he was drawn into some kind of fog in which screams were heard, spells flashed, and something very bad was going on. Then, in a fog, a flaming and luminous green figure collapsed from the sky.
- The power of Youth, fire! - Maito Gaius proclaimed that he was the Good Guy.
- Dust! - Harry repeated, feeling the light coming out of him to accelerate the fog.
He opened his eyes in time to see the silver flash that ran down the hall and drove away the dark figure... No, a few dark figures hovering in the corridor. Immediately it became warmer, the gravity retreated.
- What was that? - quietly asked for all Hermione, holding the cat against herself.
- Are you all right? - A man appeared near the coupe.
He looked modest and inconspicuous, that face, that clothes, spoke and moved confidently.
- Dementor stayed longer than usual," the man explained. - No one was hurt? Eat chocolate, it helps.
With these words, he pulled a bar of chocolate out of the swampy cloak and handed it out to the rest of the crowd, after which he was about to leave, but at that point, the train started moving again.
- Yeah, they realized he wasn't here," the man muttered.
- Who's not here? What was that? - Hermione repeated her previous question.
- They were dentists, the guards of Azkaban, the magical prison from which Sirius Black had fled, whom they were looking for," the man explained. - The Dementors are sucking happiness and fun out of people, and letting them on the school train was... somewhat irresponsible, but the Ministry is scared, but don't tell me I told you that, okay? Eat, eat, eat chocolate, it helps to survive the impact of dementia.
- I'm sorry, sir, but we don't know you," Ron said.
- I'm the new ZOTI teacher, Remus Lupin," laughed the man, "so now you know me and can start eating chocolate.
- But you chased them away, didn't you?! It's better than chocolate! - Harry exclaimed. - Teach us, Lupin-dono!
- Patronus' spell is very difficult even for adult magicians...
- Nothing is impossible when we have the power of Youth in our hearts! - There was a fused chorus of voices.
- Oh, I'm glad that dementia didn't deprive you of a battlefield constipation," Lupin laughed, "and I see that you're all right. Then I'll go see if anyone else needs my help and think about your request on the way.
- Thank you, Professor," Harry bowed down and immediately exclaimed. - In the name of the Power of Youth, I'll master the Patronus spell in a month, and if I can't, I'll run around Hogwarts a hundred times!
- I said I'd think about it," and Lupin laughed and left.
There was some silence in the compartment for a while.
- It's a pity the ZOTI teaching position is cursed," Hermione sighed.
- We need a permanent sensei," Harry said.
And then there was a signal that the train would soon arrive in Hogsmead.
Ron and Neville were helping Sisters Patil, Padmé and Parvati with their luggage by talking to them about something. Valentine's Day competition hadn't started yet, for what kind of competition is there in the number of children under the age of majority and graduating from school? Nevertheless, Ron and Neville took him seriously, helped their chosen ones, and Hermione suddenly became... Is it jealous of that? Harry, who was talking about something to Hagrid, who convened the first course to lead them across the lake, had Ginny.
- Was it like having someone else? - asked Hermione thoughtfully, lifting her stomach in her face. - Or will you stop?
- M-meow," the cat lazily said, not trying to escape.
- You don't have the power of Youth in you! - Granger laughed.
Then she remembered that she had to talk to Dean Hufflepuff, Pomona Sprout, about teaching all the subjects at the same time, and was a little upset.
- M-meow," the Tummy Throat cheered her up.
- Everything's fine with your, uh, pet," Hagrid was bashing, answering Harry's question about the basilisk. - He doesn't climb up to Aragog, uh, he doesn't scare the centaurs, yes. Again, it helps tourists to find this... way. I wish I knew what he was rotting about. I'm sorry, Harry, I have things to do, but, uh, we're going to see more people this year!
- Why not?
- I'm going to teach Magical Caring, but this is still a surprise! - Hagrid winked and raised his voice again. - First course, everybody, come here! Everybody, come here! Hold on to me!
To be continued...